Steam Up LIRR 39

The official Twitter/X page for the RMLI owned steam locomotive Long Island Railroad G5-S #39. Donate Today!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

Welcome to the official Twitter/X Steam Up LIRR #39 page! We have five years to raise 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS, to see Long Island Railroad G-5s #39 restored to operation! Please donate if you can to help make this happen. All donations big and small go a long way. Thank you!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

🚂Taking A Birthday Lap!🎂

We hope everyone had an excellent weekend… of course here we are at Monday… once again. To help bring some joy, here’s a video of our MTH O-Scale Long Island Rail Road #39 taking a birthday loop around the Lionel Visitor Center Layout; at the Railroad Museum of Long Island (in Riverhead, New York).

Our MISSION is to bring this HISTORIC LIRR steam locomotive from the rails of our layout, to the RAILS OF HISTORY; as a FULLY OPERATIONAL REPRESENTATION of our RICH RAILROADING HERITAGE! Until then we continue to enjoy these models, as a small glimpse of what’s to come when the actual locomotive IS IN STEAM for herself! To help make that day arrive SOONER, we ask that you would consider making a donation towards the project TODAY!

Contributions Towards LIRR #39’s OPERATIONAL Future Can Be Made At:
https://t.co/mmWAgOqsjA
100% of donations go EXCLUSIVELY towards the restoration, and care for LIRR #39! We truly want nothing more than to see her ALIVE, and pulling smiling passengers once again! SHE DESERVES IT!
🚂Thank You!!!❤️

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

🚂A Week Of Milestones!⭐️

We are proud to announce that this past week has been a VERY successful one for the Steam Up LIRR #39 Project, and we have YOU to thank for it!!! Firstly we cannot express our gratitude for all of our followers, donors, and supporters for all that you continue to do for our beloved G5: LIRR #39! We truly could not do ANY of this without you all, so THANK YOU!!! We promise to keep fighting strong to get Long Island Rail Road #39 BACK INTO THOSE STRASBURG SHOPS!

Our NEW Twitter/X page recently surpassed its FIRST milestone of a HUNDRED followers, which is a BIG STEP for a page that’s less than a year old. We very much enjoy the community building there, and have decided to upgrade our account to premium (so you can see our FULL POSTS, and not one limited to essentially 250 characters).

Our Instagram page also continues to grow, with content returning to the platform in the beginning of 2026. Though not at 100 followers yet, we are incredibly thankful of the 97 (current) followers for their support!

Our affiliated facebook group the “Friends of LIRR #39” (a place where YOU can post your own #39 related content, and questions; as well as talk directly with our team and community) has reached the milestone of 300 members! If you want to connect with us, AND get involved with the project; be sure to send in your request to join! We would be happy to have you as one of Long Island Rail Road #39’s FRIENDS! An EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS to all members there!

We are excited to say that our official Steam Up LIRR #39 page, has JUST PASSED 5.8 THOUSAND FOLLOWERS! We are continuing to work our way to 6K; and ask that you follow us there if you have yet to! The more followers and page interactions we get, the more “THE ALGORITHM” will promote this IMPORTANT PROJECT to new viewers! Honestly following us on ANY of our platforms, goes a LONG WAY to helping us bring LIRR #39 BACK INTO STEAM!

As always the BIGGEST way to help provide Long Island Rail Road #39 with a bright OPERATIONAL future is be contributing financially towards the project. EVERY DOLLAR DONATED is a dollar closer to seeing the FIRST ever Long Island Rail Road steam locomotive run, in preservation… as well as the potential SECOND Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotive to be CURRENTLY operational! We will be releasing a NEW FUNDRAISING UPDATE soon (as well as updating our WALL OF HONOR), so NOW is your chance to make your support known; and help bring our “Commuter Darling” back into service!

ALL CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE MADE ONLINE AT:
https://t.co/mmWAgOqsjA
THANK YOU to ALL of our followers and donors, as it is YOU who helps “keep the wheels rolling”!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

🚂More Than A Model!💨

We wanted to showcase a video of our 1960s Westside HO Long Island Rail Road #39, which ran on display at LIRR #39’s 97th BIRTHDAY BASH! A BIG THANKS to Andrew with the North Western Modelers, for letting us run her on his portable HO layout (also featuring his hand crafted HO Railway Series Thomas… which ironically enough will one day be a running mate to the ACTUAL #39 at Strasburg)!

The Westside LIRR #39 can be seen pulling our first two collectible fundraising HO Bachmann boxcars (and keep an eye out for a potential third addition)… with the second clip featuring an artifact of interest in itself… a “Project 39” P-72 HO coach from the 1980s, assumably made by the volunteers of the Engine 39 Restoration Committee. The model passenger car ran behind our HO #39, on loan from our friends at the NRHS Twin Forks Chapter; as just one more piece of history that we can look back on today.

As we continue to strive towards our goal of raising $1.5M by 2030, we ask that you would consider supporting this important project TODAY! After all Long Island Rail Road #39 to us is “more than a model”, but a REAL (OVER 118 TON) STEAM LOCOMOTIVE; that we aim to see OPERATIONAL! We do however continue to love our multiple models of her, and in a continuation of our summer raffle YOU CAN WIN your very own model kit of our “Commuter Darling”. For A DONATION of $5 (per ticket) you will be entered to WIN a Roundhouse Products G5 Model Kit (LIRR #39’s Class of Locomotive).

🎟️ONLINE ENTRIES CAN BE MADE AT:🎟️
https://t.co/mmWAgOqsjA
ALL PROCEEDS GO EXCLUSIVELY TO LIRR #39!
⭐️THANK YOU!!!⭐️

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

The Long Island Rail Road had begun retiring steam as early as 1948, when G5s #36 was cannibalized for spare parts, then shuffled off to Luria Brothers for scrapping in Modena, PA. By 1955, most had been replaced with Fairbanks Morse Diesels and Alco RS3’s were being delivered. Railroad President, Thomas Goodfellow, was eager to see steam gone, but Vice President James Schultz offered that one locomotive could be offered to Queens, Brooklyn, Nassau, and Suffolk counties as representatives of the steam era, familiar to all residents, but now forever silenced. Nassau accepted #35, the rest were turned down. Museum owner, Ward Melville, stepped in and requested Suffolk’s locomotive #39 for his Stony Brook Carriage House Museum, and this is where my father, Harry A. Glueck, came into the story. Dad would prepared and engineer the plinthing of #39, while colleague George Pack would engineer the same for #35 in Westbury’s “Salisbury Park”.

Locomotives 35 and 39 had been chosen to pull the final steam passenger trains, featuring the Boy Scouts, in October of 1955.  In fact, it was #50 which pulled to final steam powered train, but #50 saw no reprieve from scrap.  

Both G5’s had been left cold and outdoors over the winter, and both were weather degraded. Her keystone number plate had been given to Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella, who followed Jackie Robinson’s breaking of baseball’s color line. Now repainted in fresh gloss black, but bearing a #38 keystone, #39 would be towed out to Stony Brook.

The LIRR covered the expense of the earthwork as well as making arrangement for Gerosa Trucking to carry this enormous git. Truckloads of sand and topsoil preceded the move. New ties, new rail, had to be placed with mathematical precision. To Dad’s amazement, when Gerosa’s drivers backed up to the siding at Stony Brook, the rail heads mounted on the trucks matched the tracks of the siding first time!

LILCO men stood atop the boiler to lift power lines using insulated poles, to prevent snagging. The tender preceded the locomotive to the new rails. The locomotive followed, winched into place and secured to prevent rolling off its resting place. Dad was impressed by his crew and took pictures of the move, many of which you’ll see as we fundraise to restore #39 to steam.

The LIRR received $5,000 (1956 dollars) for each steam locomotive sold as scrap. The 2026 equivalent is $62,130.60, which remains a remarkable amount of money. Vice-President James Schultz had the foresight to see historic value in two G5s. Today this class survives as the most represented steam locomotive of Pennsylvania Railroad design; LIRR #35 and #39, as well as PRR #5741.  #35 is being lovingly restored for display at the Oyster Bay Rail Road Museum, #5741 sits protected indoors at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. #5741 will never be fired or run again, under the historic properties laws of that state.  

A week after the locomotive was placed, my father piled our family into our 1954 Chevy and drove us out to see #39 in her new location. I had just turned six years old and was absolutely captivated. My true love of Long Island Rail Road history was bonded. In years following, I witnessed the FM Diesels come and go, the arrival of the beautiful ALCO C-420’s, the passing of the old P-54 coaches, the arrival of the “new” M1’s. In that span, I’ve known a G5s could live again, and like others, I’ve patiently waited and supported that belief.  

LIRR #39 holds a wonderful promise in store for contemporary steam locomotive lovers, Pennsylvania Railroad lovers, and children who stand trackside in awe. My father lived the steam era and helped to preserve it. I caught an all too brief glimpse of the same.  Restoring Long Island Rail Road G5s #39 will bring alive, once more, a locomotive which spent 27 years pounding out the miles between work and home for millions of people.

~ Richard Glueck

Support The Project Today At:
https://t.co/mmWAgOqsjA
🚂THANK YOU!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

🚂Happy 250th Birthday America!!!🇺🇸

As we celebrate 250 years of our nation’s history, the Railroad Museum of Long Island (and Steam Up LIRR #39 Team) is proud to preserve its technical heritage; through the RESTORATION of Long Island Rail Road #39! Together we can all ensure this ALL AMERICAN STEAM ICON, sees COMPLETION and rolls down the tracks for GENERATIONS to enjoy!!! So live free, STAY HYDRATED, and enjoy the day with your friends and family!

🎆HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!🎆

We ask that in honor of this GRAND OCCASION, that you would consider joining us in our MISSION: To RESTORE This AMERICAN MADE Steam LEGEND To OPERATION! All Contributions Are Tax - Deductible To The Fullest Extent Of The Law, And EXCLUSIVELY Go Towards LIRR #39! We Truly Appreciate Your Support!!!

Donations Can Be Made Directly At:
https://t.co/mmWAgOqsjA

Or On Our NEW Steam Up LIRR #39 Website:
https://t.co/yrUhrxQGfL

🚂THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!🇺🇸

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

🥳HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIRR #39!🎉

NINTY SEVEN YEARS AGO… Long Island Rail Road #39 (A G5s Ten Wheeler) left the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Juniata Shops (in Altoona, PA); and went on her way to work the Pennsy’s subsidiary line, on Long Island. She was one of 31 G5(s) built for the Island, and would go on to serve the commuters who depended on her; with pride for no less than 26 years! Unfortunately… as they say “All good things must come to an end”, and the golden age of steam on Long Island (as well as the rest of the United States) quickly came to a close in the early 1950s.

The Long Island Rail Road decided to give their Iron Horses one last hurrah, and in October (1955) #39 would operate one last time for the railroad… in a grand ceremony to honor their service called: OPERATION CHANGEOVER! The two G5(s) selected pulled a coach from each end of the Island, meeting in Hicksville. Some dignitaries on board gave speeches, and then an RS-3 diesel locomotive took over #39’s train… leaving LIRR #39 to run nose to nose with sister engine #35, to Morris Park… leading to her official retirement.

Now by stroke of luck… a miracle … or coincidence, Long Island Rail Road #39 was PRESERVED by the LIRR; being donated to the Stony Brook Carriage House Museum in 1956. (More on this in the future). After sitting 24 years as a static display, people who remembered her in service came together… their goal to restore this important locomotive to operation. This organization the: Engine 39 Restoration Committee (led by Long Island rail author and historian: Ron Zeil) make steady progress on her… until their dissolution in the early 90s, grinding the project to a halt.

The locomotive came into the hands of the Railroad Museum of Long Island for her continued care, and we have vowed to FINISH what everyone before us has started. In 2013 the Railroad Museum of Long Island entered into a fifteen year agreement with the famed Strasburg Rail Road (in Lancaster County, PA); to restore the commuter legend to OPERATION. Our contract dictates that we are responsible to raise $1.5 Million Dollars to see our G5s LIRR #39 OPERATIONAL AT LAST, and the Strasburg Rail Company (SRC) has since extended this deadline till 2030. As of May 28th (2026) the fund sits at a total of $342,885 raised towards our goal. We do have another fundraising update covering our progress in June coming soon, so please keep an eye out for that. (With contributions made THIS WEEK still applying to that update).

We now ask YOU the railfans, the railroad historians, the modelers, and the community; to JOIN US in our efforts to RESTORE this ICON of Pennsylvania Railroad design, and Long Island service! Your contributions TODAY for her 97th BIRTHDAY, would go a LONG WAY to ensuring her bright future as an excursion star; once again pulling smiling passengers with pride!

🚂Please Consider Donating Today At:
https://t.co/mmWAgOqsjA
We Cannot Thank You Enough For Your Support!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

🎈The Party Goes On!!!🎁

We are VERY EXCITED to begin the second and FINAL day, of our celebration of Long Island Rail Road #39; with the North Western Modelers! We had a GREAT DAY yesterday alongside our friends (both in the NWM, and our guests who joined us for the celebration), and would LOVE to have you join us TODAY (Sunday June 28th) from 10am-4pm!

We are truly grateful to have the North Western Modelers join us for their fourth year in a row, to showcase their handiwork on these beautiful handmade models and displays! We also have been having a blast celebrating #39, with THREE models (in different gauges) running onsite! Hope to see you and your family out in Riverhead, for another day of excitement!

We ask that you would consider making a contribution towards our campaign to RESTORE LIRR #39 TO OPERATION, by entering into our EXCLUSIVE RAFFLE for an HO Model Kit of the locomotive! Entries into the raffle cost $5 (per ticket) and can be purchased IN PERSON at the Railroad Museum of Long Island, or ONLINE at:
https://t.co/mmWAgOqsjA
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Best of luck to all entries, we look forward to the drawing on August 30th (with entries being accepted till then).

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

@StrasburgFan89 They were all INCREDIBLE, thank you for joining in on the event!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

🥳BIRTHDAY PARTY FUN!🎂

With Long Island Rail Road #39’s 97th BIRTHDAY BASH rapidly approaching, we wanted to put the spotlight on our good friends at the North Western Modelers; who will be joining us for the event! The North Western Modelers are a group of individuals united in their craft; modeling beloved characters from the hit television series “Thomas And Friends”! These skillfully hand crafted models appear to have jumped right out of the screen, and are all truly amazing to see in person! This group has been up to the Railroad Museum of Long Island many times throughout the years, and we always look forward to them joining us in celebrating the BIRTHDAY of our favorite engine: LIRR #39!

The North Western Modelers have also been a BIG supporter of our ongoing efforts to restore Long Island Rail Road #39 to OPERATION; and have even gotten us a promotional table for their events at the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum (across the street from the Strasburg Rail Road, where she will one day pull excursions). We truly thank them for their support of rail preservation, and for utilizing their talents in such a creative and collaborative manner! You truly do not want to miss out on this EXCITING WEEKEND; and the Railroad Museum of Long Island is offering an open opportunity to any custom modelers on the Island (and other visitors) to bring in their projects to show off as well. We were delighted to have an extra guest last year, show off his projects as well. Looking forward to seeing you all there, for the celebration! 🥳

⭐️FOR ALL OF OUR RAILROAD MODELERS!⭐️
THIS is your opportunity to OWN a RARE (OUT OF PRINT) HO scale (model kit) of our very own LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD #39 (a Pennsylvania Railroad built G5s just like the model)! For a DONATION of $5 (per ticket) you can support the project, AND potentially win our GRAND PRIZE Model!

Donations For Tickets Can Be Made At:
https://t.co/mmWAgOqsjA
🥳THANK YOU NORTH WESTERN MODELERS!🎉

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

@itsyaboiant0ine Two photos are the boiler being moved from Riverhead, NY to be shipped to Strasburg. The rest are work photos from the Strasburg’s shops in Lancaster County, PA.

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

LIRR #39 is on track to operate at the Strasburg Rail Road! We have the tracks to run #39 on, and the BEST restoration shops in the country to rebuild and maintain her. Now all we need is YOUR SUPPORT to finish this!

PLEASE CONSIDER Contributing Today:
https://t.co/5K2KLYMlKn

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

🥳THE PARTY BEGINS NOW!🎉

The 97th birthday celebration for Long Island Rail Road #39 (featuring the return of the North Western Modelers) BEGINS NOW! From 10am-4pm today and tomorrow (June 27-28th) the entire Railroad Museum of Long Island is ONE BIG BIRTHDAY PARTY, and YOU are invited! Be sure to head on over and check it out; the North Western Modelers have prepared an excellent showcase of their hand crafted models, and we have some exciting displays for the day as well! It is bound to be a very exciting weekend, and we recommend bringing the family out to celebrate with us!

We will be selling our raffle tickets (for a donation of $5 each) this weekend in person (with a special gift for our donors on site - while supplies last) for a list of exciting prizes!!!
🥳INCLUDING!🎉

⭐️ A RARE (Out Of Print) Roundhouse Product HO G5 Model Kit

⭐️ A PREMIUM Steam Up LIRR #39 HO Bachmann Silver Series Boxcar

⭐️ A Steam Up LIRR #39 RMLI/Strasburg Hat

⭐️ A RMLI Wooden Train Whistle

🌟Donate TODAY For Your Chance To WIN!🌟
https://t.co/mmWAgOqsjA
WE THANK YOU for your support! Our birthday wish for LIRR #39 is to see her IN STEAM, so that she may once again do what she was built to do; pull coaches full of smiling passengers!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

@MikeHarazim In time, yes

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

HK Porter #1 (a part of RMLIs collection) built in 1921 by the HK Porter Locomotive Works, for use at the Defiance Coal Company; has recently been receiving some fresh paint!

Learn More About This Locomotive At:
https://t.co/0QvUDnzyNF
Stop in THIS WEEKEND for #39’s 97th B-Day!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

THANK YOU to the Williams Grove Railroad for inviting us to attend their 125th birthday for PRR #643, and for the unveiling of her NEW KEYSTONE NUMBERPLATE! We had a GREAT TIME and will be sure to return very soon, and this time we’re bringing something else of #39’s to share…

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

We had a BLAST yesterday with our second day at the Williams Grove Historic Steam Engine Association, celebrating the 125th birthday of the ONLY OPERATIONAL PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD STEAM LOCOMOTIVE #643! We have been so incredibly honored to have been invited to be here! 🚂THANKS!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

We are proud to be set up for our SECOND day at the Williams Grove Historical Steam Engine Association, the day we all officially celebrate the ONLY operational Pennsylvania Railroad Steam Locomotive’s 125th BIRTHDAY!

ENTER OUR NEW $5 RAFFLE TODAY AT:
https://t.co/5K2KLYMlKn

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

We are all set up and READY for our weekend with the Williams Grove Railroad; celebrating their PRR #643’s 125th birthday! We will be selling tickets for our LIRR #39 97th Birthday Raffle, for a ROUNDHOUSE PRODUCTS HO G5 MODEL KIT!

Tickets cost $5 each:
https://t.co/5K2KLYMlKn

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

@TheRealKyonko @UnionPacific @UP_Steam @steamtownnhs Thank you; #39 is definitely a marvel of Pennsylvania Railroad Engineering, and we’re giving it all we got until she’s back in steam once again!

[Steam Up LIRR 39 @39Steam]

Monday was a BIG DAY for LIRR #39; getting to see the Union Pacific Big Boy #4014! We would like to thank Ed Dickens (Head of UP’s Steam Program) for taking the time to get a picture with us.

Please Consider Donating Towards The #39 Project At: https://t.co/5K2KLYMlKn
THANK YOU!